Hughes & Kettner Cream Machine

There is schematics on the top of the unit - you don't even have to know English. Put the cables in the right place and the two knobs can be operated with the eyes closed.

I use mostly Ibanez guitars - Blazer, JS100 with DiMarzio FRED, JS100 with Seymour Duncan Trembucker, S520wnf with Saymour Duncan JB and Jazz. In all cases, this unit sounds its own way. No other drive I know can give you this dynamics with such a massive gain! Some people complain about the absence of EQ. Well, we are connecting our equipment to mixing desks or guitar amplifiers - both have EQ's, so where is the problem? Cream Machine's beauty is in its purity!
In my practice CM gives the best results as a direct recording device. I suppose it's best companion could be something like Tech21's Power Engine. I really hope to test it someday.
In the first days, I was trying to get some popular guitarists sounds, but soon I realized that the secret of this machine is that it needs YOU to play. Once I got it, I was excited from the bottom of my soul, believe me or not. Again - it is about the purity. I just doesn't cover you, I really hope you know what I mean. After all, Cream Machine changed the way I play and the way I think about my guitar sound. Forever.

I bought my Cream Machine from ebay.de. When I went to the post office to get it I was shocked - the package was almost destroyed! I crossed my fingers and at home, after opening the top cover, I saw one of the tubes was out of the socket! Do you know how powerful should be the hit to cause this?! The only repair needed was to put it back in place.

Never needed. It is just 30 years old ;-)

May be this is not the best drive in the world, but I am sure, it is one of the best. If are lucky to have it, keep on mind that the tubes used are critical for the sound - find what is best for you (not necessary the most expensive).

Know the difference between instrument/line level signals and you'll be fine.

Words of caution: sucks tone when bypassed internally via footswitch. Looped with an external bypass pedal, your guitar ought to sound less like a sitar.

Rockin'.

This is amazing tube amp/preamp. Very easy to use, few knobs and several imputs!

Sound is amazing!!! best used with valve amps! i use great valve Laney VC amp into clean channel, just in front of amp! so in total you get 7 valve multiamp with amazing versatile gain and distortion like sound absolutely for metal only on 3 level from 11 of it's Gain!!! forget about any pedal this solid tank are ready to blow out any Fireball if used woth good valve amp! my setting is Gain 3+master8 +tube volume about 40% and Laneys clean channel on half volume, also dont forget to optimize EQ on Laney cause cream without this knobs (but it's ok). If you want get realy good rock sound and solos with little gain and vintage sound, lover guitar volume to 20 perc and yu get amazing Tubescreamers effect on you tube amp!!! This best thing you can find on the internet (nowadays it looks like it very hard to find to buy....) If it's configured properly it's sounds as rectiier and balls also you may get amazing vintage, just dont overdo power cause this babe has really much (power metal only on 3 of 11 level gain!!!)

made as tank, all electronics are real magic, it's 80's babe it will last forever! no chinese sh*** made in GERMANY!!! but dont forget about fragile tubes!

this product is discotinued already for 20 years and it's mostly impossible to buy!!!

Amazing for metal, rock, funk, jazz and any other guitar styles, just get really good clean tube amp, good guitar and you ready to blow all your nowadays pods, bosses, tcs, fireballs and rectifiers! Throw away all this fake pedals which trying to copy oldschool devices and get this, this is really magic that ppl forgot in 80's, by the way no much info about thi mysterious product on the net!!!

First thing, I am posting this in Guitar Amps because this thing is not an effect, but a real micro-tube amp complete with a preamp and post amp tube circuits. This amp has an input and an output transformer, for that real tube sound.

I don't know the exact year this amp was made, but from H&K literature, they made these thing in the late 80's which makes it about 20 years old.

Controls:
Gain (Preamp volume)
Master (Power amp volume)
Tube Amp Volume (Attenuator)

Outputs:
Cabinet emulator out
Mix out
Speaker out (full power)
Tube Amp Out
Instr. Out.

(Plus footswitch bypass)

I disagree with most people, this amplifier is insanely versitale as far as 1 channel amps go. You can coax any form of light to heavy rock tones out of this thing (even metal) by carefully dialing in your Guitar volume and tone. Also pickup type and impedience all matter. Each one will give a different tone. Humbuckers will give you over the top goodness, P90's give you a glorious singing, and single coils seem to preserve clarity but still growl.

Volume (With controls at 12oclock:
1-Clean, not much lose of power. (think fender slight overdrive)
2-Little less clean, pretty good for light rock
3- your into rock. Still lots of clarity, but will break up with 2 or more notes are played at a time.
4- This is about Led Zep's Black dog tone. Clean-ish but fuzzy
5- Pretty good punk sounds (depends on pickups like everything else)
6- Amazing powerchords. Still has a bit of clarity.
7-8- About the same tone, just a little less defined.
9-10--Br00talz.

I don't really change the knobs on the amp too much, just leave them at 12o'clock. Just use different pickups and volume settings, My strat DEFINITLY loves this amp (I didn't think it would)... I bought it for my iby humbucker equiped guitar.

When I first got it I wanted it to have a effects loop, but now I realize that it is hopelessly useless on this thing. Why poison this tone with flangers/delays/reverb? This amp does not do well with those effects IMO due to its distort characteristics. The quasi cleans don't do well with them, and the disort is just too good on its own. Distort/OD pedals are useless too, cuz this thing as more distort than most people can handle, (and plenty more on tap for metal pplz too :))

I use this thing everywhere! In my bedroom I hook it up to a 1x12 or a Tech21 powerengine, and both ways its loud enough for me. At gigs, connect this to a Tech21 powerengine (60 watts) and its quite loud. Plus you can daisy chain these things. (I love Powerengines cuz they recreate the tone perfectly. They don't colour the sound, and they have a 3 band eq onboard for final tweeting, which is pretty ideal because the Cream Machine doesn't have onboard EQ.

Please note that this amp is NOT for you Line 6 kiddies who want so many dials. This amp is first and foremost a basic, very simple tube amp with enough outputs for ANYTHING you want to hook it too (including directly to a recording board). Basically it is a barebones, back to the basics, amazing distort machine. I can squeeze anything from Carlos Santana Creamy Blues all the way to over the top br00talz

Please note that this amp is voiced with a good portion of bass in the signal. Adjust accordingly for that. I personally love it most of the time. Adjusting pickups and tone will adjust the mid/treble range for the guitar. IE: if you want rhythm tones, use a neck/middle pickup, and if you want scooped mides, lots of treble 80's esque kind of rock, then go for a humbucker in the rear with lots of volume.

I used both a SSS strat (MIM cuz im poor), and a Ibanez Humbucking guitar, and a aria MAC 50 SSH guitar. As said above, they all sound great through it.

I think the neck/middle position and the middle pickup sound the best for a strat through this thing.

Humbuckers sound best in the bridge position. (Lots of trebble, easy to get that scooped mid's tone)

This amp tends to want to give a more creamy distort than a full all out mesa/boogie.

Tubes:

YOU MUST FIND PROPER TUBES FOR THIS THING. Make sure you can afford to buy a few sets to try out. I suggest use a good quality, low gain 12au7 for the preamp, then a good quality 12ax7 for the power. This has a lot of gain, so don't worry about loosing gain by putting in low-gain tubes.

This thing is 20 years old. All pots, caps and parts inside are 100 percent original (not the tubes of course), and it is truly top quality build. Its in a solid metal case that looks like a industrial box. Yea it isn't as pretty as a good looking marshall head, but honestly, it is build for one purpose, to give beautiful tones in a strong box.

it has never broken on me, and all the pots are clean, work amazingly, and don't scratch (i wish my guitar pots could work as good as them)

All of the company literature on this thing is on line (schematic, user manual etc) and the company seems to still answer my questions about it.

I doubt theres a warenty on it... its 20 years old.

I haven't had to repair it, but I've looked in side, and all the parts are easy to find to replace. Also its not built on PCV boards much, its mostly point to point (remember its a compact place, most of the room inside is taken up by the two transformers and the two tubes.

I've owned this thing for 6 months, so im pretty sure im not biased on this review.

This is my go-to amp for distortion. I haven't found something that can be used in my bedroom, and in gigs and perform identically inboth (if using a Tech21 powerengine).

I suggest EVERYONE buy one of these. You won't be disappointed.

They should still be making them, they would make a killing. Its affordable for even the poorest musician, yet good enough tone to impress the cork sniffers among us.

If someone stole it, I would hunt them down, kill them, then take the amp. It is rare, and it took me years to find. I love it.

I wish it had an onboard eq.... but then again i would probably twiddle with it too much. The beauty of this amp is its so easy to flick on the power, and jam. Nothing to adjust or anything.

extremely easy to use,sound is great for Rock n Roll and some heavy metal. 10 for sure

sound quality is amazing for recording,amping or just home practicing. its really noicy in the top end but what isnt cranked! the amp i use is a TS-15 traynor with tube out and it sounds great.

this unit i have is all original from the 80's and the tubes are not muddy at all, really solid unit!

never had to ask for help, Das!!

well im a bass player/guitar player combine ive been playing 19 years now im recording at home and with this unit it covers alot of tones ive been seaching for(along with the metal shredder), for a longtime. if it were stolen i dont know what i would do :(

two knobs

re-tube with good stuff. nos

been ticking for 15 years now

manufactur has online manual

it's a killer pre-amp

My total apologies! I don???t mean to be a nuisance and really hate to post again but I forgot to mention the most important breakthrough other than finding the proper tubes to use. This was the actual grand finally that I had to do and did not achieve EXCELLENT tone until I did so. Very simple. The volume knob on the guitar. I have played with mine on 10 for over 30 years and never even thought of turning that down until hours and hours of playing around with the cream Machine in order to get a good sold distortion yet clear and distinguished.

Now this is my experience with my specific guitar and pickups but I am sure most others are probably just as touchy when plugged into the CM. I found that for me the volume knob on the guitar only needs to be on anywhere from 3 to 5 for a good heavy distortion yet distinguished but this is with the tubes mentioned in my prior review also.

I also forgot to mention my Gain setting. Again, using the JJ 12AX7 in the Gain/Preamp section and the GE 5814A/12AU7 in the Master/Power amp section, I have my Gain on about 9 and the Master on 11. I turn the guitar volume up to about 2,3-4 for rhythm and 3,4-5 for lead (rough estimates but depends on the amount of sustain and attack you need). Also winds down real nice for more of a mellow distortion tone right around 0.5 to 1.

Same as prior review.

Same as prior review.

N/A

Same as prior review.

This unit is next to worthless no matter how much tweaking you do unless you find the right tubes so I am only giving it a 5 here! But once you search and swap and finally find the right tubes, it is then, I repeat, it is then indeed the Holy Grail of tone! Tubes cannot be any easier to change in and out. Their are no patches to edit. Other than the disadvantage of having tubes that may sound terrible the unit is incredibly easy to use especially considering how many options and features it has for 100% tube tone. The manual is still available online for download and is very helpful but it also has schematics right on the top of the unit.

This is not a review, it is a novel! It???s all true! I cannot believe they do not make these anymore. People are paying $300 for Hot Plates (me included) and $600 to $800 for 5, 10, 15 watt tube amps just to get that saturated tube power tone. When I first got my Cream Machine I was severely disappointed. I read all of these reviews about people being in tone heaven and so forth and mine utterly sounded terrible. So I was going to sell it but decided to try some other tubes first. Couldn???t find any vintage ones locally and needed to play out that weekend so I found the nearest music store that had the least distorted ones I could find. Mine originally came with (2) Mesa 12ax7 tubes and just sounded awful. I am a distortion fanatic but not a muddy fizzy sizzly tone fanatic. So all I could find was a JJ 12AT7 and read that one guy used a 12AT7 (but was Sylvania) so I tried it. It was better and at one time after playing around with it for I don???t know how long, it actually sounded pretty good (for lead anyway). The next day I plugged into it with fresh ears and wanted to throw it in the garbage!

So after trying a Tung-sol 12AX7, a JJ 12AX7, a Sovtek 12AX7, and a Mesa 12AX7, I gave up and said ???I???ve had it!??? and for the second time made my mind up to sell the thing. During this process I had won an old GE 12AU7 off Ebay which was inspired by another post on this site so I decided to just wait for it to arrive before I put the Cream Machine up for auction. When it arrived I didn???t know what to expect. It was leaning more towards hopelessness. I put it in the power section (not left tube slot but right slot while looking at it from the front). It lost at least 50% of the gain which was kind of crummy sounding gain anyway so that was good but now it didn???t have any guts. Well I recently had to have my Master level at 3 or it started to sound just awful but that was with the JJ 12AT7 in the master section. With the GE 5814A/12AU7 in the master section, I started turning up the Master and by the time I hit 11 on the Cream Machine my jaw dropped to the floor (I did have this running into an EQ).

After playing around some more and trying different tubes I so far have the best sound with the GE in the power section and a JJ 12AX7 in the preamp section but I currently have no vintage 12AX7 tubes to try . I played around with it and couldn???t run any pedals into it because the signal was so sensitive but I only use EQ pedals anyway so I had an old Ross 10 band EQ which is line level and plugged the Cream Machine into the Ross, tweaked it a bit, then ran that into my Rocktron Xpression and touched it up even more with the parametric EQ, then into an ART SLA-1 power amp. Cranked it up and ended up playing for about 3 to 4 hours straight until I literally had to make myself put the guitar down. This is the BEST tone I have EVER had in my life! I later lined it up with my Marshall TSL 100, did a little more EQ-ing. Well, let me put it this way, the Marshall is going up for sale tomorrow on Ebay. Some of my friends think I???m nuts but they haven???t heard the Cream Machine yet. Before I made this decision final I played one gig with it which was this morning. Again, the BEST tone and sound I have ever had in my life and I have been playing for 31 years. I cannot wait to bring it over to my friends house and hear it against his Mesa Triple Rect.

1 watt of power but through a 250 watt bridged power amp I can knock the pictures off the walls with only using under ?? of my overall potential volume. Folks, not only is the tone incredible once you find the right tubes, but by running your setup this way, you have your FX after BOTH your preamp distortion AND your power amp distortion. It literally turned my $290 FX unit into a $600 FX unit! Crystal clear FX! Hearing is believing. I really recommend using 2 EQ???s. Give this poor little unit a fighting chance as it has no treble, bass, presence, or midrange knobs on it.

I haven't had mine too long but I have NEVER read anywhere where one has broke down!

N/A

I play heavy metal, heavy blues, anything with sweet tube saturated tones to crunching grinding metal. I have been playing professionally for about 20 years or so. If it were lost would I buy another one? LOL! I already bought another one just for backup. I discovered this unit while my Marshall TSL100 was in the shop and had to play 100% solid state for 2 gigs. Nothing personal against all you sold state guys out there but once you are hooked on tubes theres no turning back! I was going to buy a Laney 30 or 50 watt AOR Tube Pro just in case my Marshall ever broke down again so I would be covered. Thank goodness I got out bid TWICE! This was all while I was discovering the capabilities of the Cream Machine.

The only thing I can compare this with is about a $1600 tube amp with a $300 Hot Plate but you do need some EQ's and a power amp (and especially the right tubes) to get it to it's full potential. This thing is the best amp and tone I have ever had in my life to date (April 2007).

I can fully express myself even more than with the Marshall TSL100 (which is going up for sale tomorrow as I have already mentioned). It literally sings and you don't need a bunch of pedals not to mention adapters and batteries. Just find what tubes you like and swap them around when you want to change your tone. Can really make a night and day difference. Just like plugging in different distortion and overdrive pedals (at least to me it is). Wish I had one of these a long long time ago but better late then never :)

With two knobs that both control the distortion all you can really do is turn the knobs untill the dirt pleases you.

I'm rating this as a practice and recording amp. I have never used it as a direct recording device.

The cool thing about it is you can set the amount of pre-amp versus power amp distortion to your liking. You can get a nice on the edge of breakup tone and push it into distortion with your pick attack by setting the pre-amp gain low and the power amp fairly high. This is my preferred playing style and this is the only amp that lets me get it a nominal volume levels.

It's loud enough believe me. I can't hear a volume difference between this through a 12" and my 5 watt crate through an 8". Speaker size, type, voicing and amp voicing have as much to do with loudness as watts. If you've ever run a little smokey through a 4x12 cab this becomes obvious. Speakers also have very different efficiencies. British style speakers are very low efficiency something like a JBL will sound louder because more energy is being transformed into sound. Ears are most sensitive to mids so the more mid range in the voicing the greater the percieved loudness. This amp isn't voiced with much bass. I'm sure that was to get the maximum bang out of the low watts.

Guitar and speaker selection are key to getting the best sound with this amp.

I'm using a british voiced groove tubes speaker and dark sounding guitars for the best results. Don't use a strat or tele. Use a les paul or the like. I'm using a '55 stratotone and early 70's framus new strato with this. Both of these guitars have too much bass and not enough trebble in the neck position through my normal amp but they are perfect with this little beast.

I'm a firm believer in matching the right guitar and amp. It can be too harsh and edgy with fender style guitars. If the guitar sounds good through class A amp (ac-30, goldtone) it sounds good with this. If the guitar prefers a fender style class A/B (twin, super reverb) amp it isn't the best choice for this amp. This is a class A amp.

Does what it's meant to and does it well. Wouldn't be good as your only amp but it's great when you want to get that power tube distortion sound at 3am.

Haven't heard any stories of these breaking despite them getting into vintage years these days.

Great little amp. An effect loop would have been cool, but theres no room for it in this box.

I use a modded Ibanez SZ320 (split option humbuckers via push-pull) and noname superstrat.

Mind you, this is a rock machine!

It will be used to do what it can do best. Record the sound of a distorted electric guitar (and for those basslines). I only give it an eight for the lack of tone controls. Perhaps it would be a ten in combination with a graphical EQ.

It is getting a bit noisy if the gain (there ist A LOT OF GAIN !) is at twelve o clock an the master at three.
But on the other hand, most old marshalls producing that sound would be too. Listen too some Hendrix live at winterland or so.

This is an 80ies all tube amp (pre-amp and power-amp, not like the Metalmaster, which has only two gain stages but no power amp). It is made for rock music, expect no clean sounds.

great things are:
- RED BOX circuitry cabinetulator for mix out - A REAL PLUS
- Perfect as practice amp (if you play rock and have a 8 Ohm speaker) A REAL PLUS
- good for recording, it was made for it
- perfect match for the crunch master (you can sort of switch them together -> 2 channel setup)
- if you can accept the laquer going off a little after about 20 Years, this thing ist very, very solid
- The KILLER Sound machine for distorted bassline recording

-> I give it a nine for the lack of tone controls

It is solid. It is made in germany. If I treat it well and change the tubes when needed it will rock on forever.

The manual is on the website. Otherwise there is no need to support this machine. It is solid. So it will be a ten.

I can recommend it very much, especially for the price.
Pro:
It is a rock solid, great sounding and very versatile machine with extreme amounts of gain. It has a great cabinetulator. You can record into the console. You can connect a speaker and be loud enough to practice, to annoy any neighbour or to drive a speaker and record from the speaker.

Con:
No clean sounds -> get the crunch master as well
No tone controls -> get an eq.

after a lot of experiments,I find this sounds best with an 12au7 in the power amp and a low gain 12 ax7 in the preamp....this thing is so cool,you can connect to a guitar speaker,to an hi fi monitor,directly to a mixer,to a P.A.
with the master half way I have a smoother biting sound...with the master on 10,it's pure tube aggression...crunches like a real mother

this is definitely a must -have....a super compact TUBE AMP in a small box...that's right,not a tube distortion pedal ,but a TUBE AMP in miniature...complete with vintage paper bobbin output transformer. this REALLY is a STACK IN A BOX,no $%^&!

this is top German engineering...it feels so solid,dont make the mistake to think you can toss it around...treat it as you would treat a tube amp

been playing for 12 years,I have owned a quite a bit of tube amps...however the Cream Machine it's so nice,so small,so cute,hell I cant believe they made a tube amp that small. who needs this line 7 $%^&, LOL

easy...just figure out well about those output,download manual.

man...everybody should have that...it may have 2 sounds,beats the crap out of any line 6 thing. With the master half way or lower and the gain cranked,you get a smooth but biting distortion...with the gain very low and a single coil,you get a really nice clean sound...with master full up and gain high,you get an angry sound,crunchy and expressive...yeah I love it.

only,IF the master is already at max or very high and you crank the gain on full,the whole gain structure becames unbalanced,basically for a simple reason: the CM output transformer becames TOO saturated. The CM has INCREDIBLE amounts of gain,so this is understandable....it's NOT a fault.
But,if you use master full up,just mind that the gain does not go past 3 o'clock...that's A LOT of gain already. read the other VERY detailed review by the other user below. THE CM ROCKS!!

VERY well built...the size of a car mini hi fi!

everybody should know this...t should have been very popular but because it's so sophisticated it was not well understood...simply,there is not another device like that. you can have good preamps,sure,but this is a TUBE AMP

it looks easy,however it's array of output are oncredibly verstile...but you gotta know how a tube amp works. For example,you can connect the CM to even a powered hi-fi monitor,for a complete excellent tube amp setup. however,not many knows that ONLY the cabinetulator output should be used for that...if you use the 'mix 'output you can blow your hi fi monitor because of the high uncompensated frequencies. Download the cream machine manual,it's available on the internet of you search.
the CM is much more than it looks..not many really know about it,read below for a VERY detailed explanation of why I consider the CM an unbeatable product that ,even being built 19 years ago,outclass ANY guitarist recording device,and it stamps all over the POD line 6....the CM is SUPER PORTABLE TUBE AMP

Contrary to what many believe,the Cream Machine is not only a preamp,but a complete tube amp( tube preamp + tube power amp).

The built in power amp of the Cream Machine (CM for short) let the user to achieve POWER AMP distortion ,beside the bog-standard preamp distortion that is much easier to obtain,found in zillions of preamps and some pedal like the Tubeman. The CM ,for all purposes,has a properly built SINGLE ENDED TUBE power amp,complete with a tube output transformer. That really put's it in it's own league,because stand-alone tube preamps ONLY have the preamp,no power tubes or tube output transformer is found...the result is a smaller sound than what's obtainable in devices like the CM (and I dont know of other devices built like that,which really makes it unique)

Yet,this is a remarkable difference,because many guitarists know that when their favourite tube amp's master volume (NOT the gain control) is cranked up ,the sound gets bigger,bolder,the amp seems to react differently,it becomes much more touch-responsive and there is a different 'snarl' in the sound.

Well,believe it or not,that's exactly why the Cream Machine was built. To get THAT sound,specifically the type of power amp distortion found in the famous British amps (Marshall JCM 800,Vox etc). Crank the CM's master past 12 o'clock and you start hearing the growl of it's incredibly tidy tube power amp.

The CM is an highly complex guitarist's device: it has a BUILT IN POWERBRAKE,and the excellent RED BOX it's also built in(that alone costs about # 55).

The only other way to get a similar setup,would be to buy a tube amp,a powerbrake and a Red Box ,and the resulting setup would be far more expensive...plus,you would lose a lot in terms of portability,you would have a setup that is heavy and difficult to carry around.The CM is a tiny half-rack unit,and,in true German fashion,it's built like a brick. Everybody knows of the level of German build...

Also,the CM has an overwhelming array of outputs,guaranteed to make it so versatile that makes a Line 6 Pod a toy in comparison. Note also that the CM is able to power a 4x12 cabinet,to get about 3 watts of cranked tube tones!

Lastly,I copy here what it's written in the manual ,should you find this useful ( dont forget to read the raving reviews at harmony-central.com)!

The Cream Machine : 'Tuned British Overdrive'.

'' The Cream Machine produce those tube overdrive tones which normally require massive volume levels to achieve. It's great for really over-the-top Metal overdrive,too. The exact amount of preamp or power amp overdrive can be set by using the Gain and Master controls. Single coils are no problem...there's plenty of gain to get that warm ,singing overdriven Strat sound you've always wanted.''

What else? Well you can use the CM as a POWER tube distortion 'preamp',in front of your tube amp OR in it's effects loop.

Heck,that's the only tube amp that allows you to even directly connect to a powered HI-FI monitor,via the 'Cabinetulator' output.DO NOT use another output for an hi fi speaker,though

The Cream Machine beats devices like Damage Control Womanizer,Demonizer, Nanohead....basicly the CM is much more difficult to design and construct than the afore-mentioned devices

are you joking...this thing is built like a MINI TANK!!

incredibly unique...as I said beats devices like Damage Control Womanizer,Demonizer, Nanohead...the Cream Machine is simply a very advanced super compact tube amp! unmissable

just an update on my earlier post! I said that the preamp overdrive was 'somewhat harsh' ,and that WAS because the preamp valve was a bad no-name one,it had a nasty sound. I have replaced it with a new one,and now IT KICKS ***!!!

I have also replaced the one in the power amp,so now it's a 12ax7 in the preamp and a 12 au7 in the power amp. (electro harmonix,but I will try new old stock valves,but for now i am an happy monkey)

AND, the cream machine is even a lot more silent...it has huge gain,so some noise IT'S to be expected,this s not a crappy digital distortion generator,with no background noise,but with no tone/personality either. but it's about the same noise if you overdrive the input of a marshall plexy with a powerful booster and crank the amp very high. So really that does not make the cream machine more noisy than an old marshall.

BTW,this excellent little box it's more marshall than mesa (the latter I dont like,I prefer an old marshall type sound)

I am really starting to appreciate this device...now it has a great sound,it sounds great with a good cabinet,100 per cent true tube amp sound! top marks from me,the cream machine is ahead of it's time even by today's standards,let alone 20 years ago,when it was made!
beats the hell out of toys like the line 6 Pod!!!

very easy to use...less so with the outputs on the back

sound quality depends on what you expect....I think the preamp sound is somewhat harsh,the gain is way too extreme,and it's very noisy even with moderate gain. However it can be improved if very low noise valves are used,but it's not easy to discern where to find low noise valves and which are the ones.
this box really has one sound,but it can be a good sound if you work around the limitations

seems well built

it's a good box if you really are a tube nuts and you find digital guitar processors ,including the line 6 stuff,absolutely terrible.
or you might like more one of the line 6 boxes...

I love the Cream machine overall sound,but most of all it's power tube distortion...I prefer a 12au7 in the power amp,as the original schematic suggests.

it makes me feel I am playing thru some classic amp when I crank up it's master volume. I use pre and post EQ to really take adavantage of the true potential of the Cream machine

many people think that the Cream machine is very short on features because it only has a channel and no EQ.
But if you think about it:

1.this is a real tube amp (not just a preamp or a tube pedal...the Cream machine does a big difference here)in a super compact size.

2.it has a real tube power amp which overdrives very nicely,via powerbreak built in. This tube power amp overdrive is very different and much more difficult to achieve than preamp mondo distortion....
Power amp overdrive in this little box? Ah!

3.the built in Red Box is very useful...it will not make a super produced sound for you! it's task is mainly to get rid of an high frequency that is present in unfiltered audio tube circuit. this ,I find,is a difficult frequency to find and cut,even with a parametric EQ. I have tried and it's very time consuming. the Red box does it for you,then you take it from there,that is,add post EQ!

4.You can connect the Cream machine directly to almost anything: guitar speakers,hi-fi speakers,mixers,you name it! if try any of this with other valve amps,you will damage them!

So ,even before we get to the sound,I think the Cream machine has features to spare!!!

I modify amps,so I know something about build quality,and I think the CM kicks ass even in that department. just treat it as if it were a tube amp,because it is

I have been playing for about 10 years...owned quite a few valve amps,Seymour Duncan,Marshall,Peavey.

I remember that in all this time I have always seen some used Cream machine in some shops or private advertisments,but I never gave it too much importance,I thought it was just a practice amp,rather than a recording amp and everything in between.

Once I have even tried it,with the master volume so low that it probably made a run of the mill sound...little I knew that I could crank it up because of the powerbreak,and I knew even less about it's being a valve amp!

I can only say that had I understood earlier what the Cream machine really was,I would have saved myself a lot of grief and wasted time (too long stories for me to tell or you to care about them). I would have bought it 10 bloody years ago and still use it to this bloody day...it's just unbeatable for convenience!

I even see some users here that bought a Cream machine for 45 dollars!! this is mental....45 dollars dont even buy the crappiest transistor ,waspy sounding pedal

shame on Hughes & kettner that they dont make those anymore!!

WITH THE RIGHT TUBES....excellent......Disregard what people are saying regarding using "such and such tubes" and "such and such (12AT7 / 12AY7/tubes)....if you have access to several, try several combinations....a good starting point would be 12AX7 preamp / 12AT7 power amp (left and right tubes looking at the top of the unit)....I've heard a few people swear by 12AU7 in both the preamp and power amp...I think not...Try it yourself and decide....I found it too clean and not enough power....I'm using a vintage early '60s Mullard 12AX7 preamp and vintage Sylvania 12AT7 power amp tube.....I'm in tonal heaven....My suggestion is to forego the AU7 in preamp, start out with AT7 (progress to AX7 preamp if needed) and go AT7 power amp, if this doesn't work for you, try AU7 power amp....and so on...honestly, the AX7 power amp breaks up too early...MY REVIEW IS BASED ON MULLARD 12AX7 PREAMP / SYLVANIA 12AT7 POWER AMP TUBES....Stock is an "8"

Basic features...Front Panel / Gain (preamp volume) / Master (power amp volume)....suit to taste.....Back Panel...you're own you're own.....

Nice unit. Tweaking of the tubes/combinations yields pleasant tone, but both tubes (preamp and power amp) are extremely interactive, so be prepared to change out several tubes to get "the tone"...

I'm playing a Steve Vai Jem FP 77.
The Cream Machine is GREAT,to blues/rock over Metal,and everything in between.
It can be a little noisy,but oif you are reak bothered by that,just set a noise gate in front.It has never been a problem for me.
I think the sound is exellent.

I think it was made first in the 80?
I play rock/blues and metal,and The Cream Machine is offering me plenty of variations.
I use it home in my flat,because it has THAT tube sound at reasonable levels.
There are plenty of power to home recording,and practice too.

I bought my first "Crunchmaster" over 20 years ago,and the guy that bought it,still use it and there have been no trouble with it at all.
The Cream machine I'm using now,is at least 20 years old,and there have never been ONE problem.
I would trust it enough,to use it without a backup,although a such always is a good thing.
But IMO,the Cream machine is so good buildt with good components,that problems almost never occur.(Judging from all the satisfyed customers I have heard about).

The things I have heard about H/K custom support have only been good.
My self I have never had to use it.

I have been playing about 35 years.I have a Boogie Cal.50 combo gigs.
If I lost my Cream Machine,I would be forced to buy one of the new EXPENSIVE stuff,like Sheldons true tone 3,or Lexicons 284.
I love the easy way,I can get a TRUE tube tone(power amp saturated!!)and play it without being kicked out because of loud playing.This baby have THE tone,at great levels(low).
The only thing I can compare it with,must be the new Sheldon true tone 3,Lexicons 284 and Cornford Harlequin.
If the CM should have a modification after my taste,it would be an EQ of some sort.

I play this sweet thing with Les Pauls (Gibson & Kortmann), Tele (Kortmann) and Strat (Kortmann). The first thing you hear when using a guitar with single coil PUs is a whirring. But when you hit the strings, you'll get everything you'd expect! A creamy overdrive sound with real tube feeling. You can go from crunchy blues to ass-kicking metal just by turning the two front-knobs. I prefer the following setting: gain twelve, master three.

Not that versatile, but perfect for what is was build for - ROCK! Gain, Master and Output knobs, 2 inputs (one on the real panel ... good for rack-work), a lot of different outputs (one with speaker simulation, one power amp out (1 Watt) and more) and a footswitch. I really miss a direct headhone out - that would be great!
I use the cream machine mainly to record song ideas directly into my computer - use the cab. mix output, go into a cheap Zoom 9001 multi-effect, headphone out into the line in of the computer. Not very professional, but it works.

I own this tone-monster for 12 years by now without problems at all! Even the tubes are still quite good sounding!

Never had to deal with them ... but heard only good things about their service!

I really love this tiny overdrive-monster! I owned a lot of tube amps but I rarely found an amp with a that good sounding and convincingly overdrive-sound! Since I found one better sounding amp by now, I only use my cream machine for recording purposes and it still does what it did the last 12 years ... it gets you where ever you want to be!

Half-rack 1-1.5 watt all-tube amplifier. Seven different output options. Footswitchable. In conjunction with a 12" cabinet, it's all I need for home use.

I use it with a bunch of Fender teles (both single and humber-equipped), a Gibson SG, a, '85 Schecter PT, a Maton Mastersound, a Gretsch Committee and various Japanese lawsuit-era Les Pauls. For practising or late-night recording, I run the guitar directly in to the Cream Machine and use a combination of the Mix Out directly into my 2x12 Orange cab and the Cab Mix Out going straight to the board. I've toyed with the idea of changing the tubes for something with a bit more clean headroom but I figure, I've got about four amps that do the clean-slightly overdriven thing beautifully, what the hell do I need another one for? This thing travels seamlessly from pushed Vox to screaming triple rectifier - pauses - and keeps going until it reaches a screeching out-of-control "help, we're all gonna die" type distortion that sustains for days. Which frankly, isn't very useful but it sure is fun to mess around with. At reasonable gain levels, with the master set at about eight, through a decent cab, this thing sounds great. You can't expect it to feel like you're rocking a stadium with a wall of marshalls though, because at this kind of volume, no matter how perfect the circuitry, that's never gonna happen. The "cabinetulator" isn't the best I've heard but it's totally useable, especially in conjunction with a close-miked real-world cabinet, putting back some of the low EQ you lose mic'ing a cab at these low volumes.

It's gotta be 15-20 years old and no problems yet. That's a good sign.

Never needed to deal with them.

Been playing for about 20 years, I own too much gear to list (about 8 acoustics, 20 electrics, 10 amps and about a zillion effect pedals). If it were lost or stolen, I doubt I'd find another one but I'm curious to try some of those low-power THD amps, the univalve, etc.

I use all ART amps and love them.........BUT, I needed a little more warmth for blues. I tried a Boss Blues Driver, way too thin! I started reading about the Cream Machine and picked one up on ebay. It was okay.......better than the Boss but still thin! I started switching out tubes until I loaded it with a pair of Telefunken 12au7 vacuum tubes......WOW!! Warm and clean with just enough dirt for blues! The harder you play the more dirt you get! I love this thing! Buy one! Real tube tone, cheap! Good luck!

Fewer controls should ease your work but unfortunately it's difficult to obtain what you want.

I have to say that a big misunderstanding is that this unit is not an effect, actually it is a very low power (1/2 watt) single-ended tube amp and it should be used in such a way if you want to be satisfied with the results. I am using it at home with lots of different guitars (PRSs, Fenders,...) and pickups, connected to different cabinets all loaded with Celestion speakers. My preferred combination now is a "living room setup" consisting of an Epiphone Riviera and a small wonderful "living room" cabinet loaded with a Celestion Vintage 10". Although I have owned this unit for more that 15 years, only recently I decided that I was no longer satistified with its huge gain and high freq response (my tastes turning from rock-metal to blues-jazz) and I modded it a little. Basically I just bypassed the solid-state section in front of the tubes and went directly into the first tube (a 1 hour and 1 resistor modification) obtaining an "all tube" path from guitar to speaker. Now it has a wonderful sound with improved bass response and incredible dynamics that let's you control your tone with the guitar controls without muddyness or changes in loudness.

There's one way to use this unit: don't put it into your effect chain, connect it to a speaker and crank it up! Mike the resulting sound or use a device such as a Palmer Speaker Emulator (the internal red-box circuit it's not up to the task) and then add effects and final amplification. This way you can go from metal to blues with terrific results. Considering the cost if you can find one around buy it immediately.

one control for gain, one control for master and one to get the mix bypass vs. tube-amp right. so, quite simple. then a lot of outputs: two mixed (tube-amp and by-pass) with one of them upgraded with cabinetsimulation. Then two separated outputs. with a switch one can change outputsignal from linelevel to instrumentlevel. (pointlost: the location of the switch makes you think the two outputs on the right are the 'line' outputs and the two on the left are the 'instruments'outputs. further a footswitch connection and an output for a little speaker. very handy is the scheme of the different connections on top of the unit.

I use it with a pattrick eggle, several analoug distortions and a randall solid state amplifier. makes my other distorions sing very nicely, that's what i wanted it for.
problem is that the tube-amp sound as really a lot of treble compared to the by-pass sound. Don't use this thing if you don't have the possibillity to put the two sounds through two different channel-amps so you can lower the trebles on the tube-amp-channel with your eq.
really a pity.....

don't have it to long yet, but looks reliable to me. made of iron, steady knobs. make a nice box for it though

enough information on the net with manuals for example

I play poprock. it makes my distortions sing and makes my overdrives much more dynamic. can go from little bit to a lot only by the way I strike the strings. So that's really fine for about 90 dollars. I use it with a footswitch and that works fine, no audible clicks in the sound. if it were stolen I would go looking for its brother, the crunch-machine, for that unit has got an eq. on it, and as said before...that's what really misses!

This thing is about as self explanatory as it could be. There's a diagram on the top, 3 knobs, and all ins and outs clearly marked. I couldn't give it a 10, because I feel it needs to be opened and the tubes changed to perform well.

The sound of the cream machine was, at first, appaling. It comes with two tubes. One 12ax7 for the preamp and one 12at7 for the power amp. The factory tubes are mediocre quality at best, and must be replaced. I found that with new tubes, the sound became somewhat palateable, but was still a bid harsh or tinny and sometimes blurry, for lack of a better term. I also didn't like the extreme nature of the overdrive. No subtlety. THIS ALL CHANGED, however, when I got the notion to replace each tube with a 12au7. The 12au7 has higher output and more headroom. Now this box sounds outstanding. It's loud and warm, and very intelligible. The gain now ranges from an almost too-clean warm jazzy sound to wailing harmonics and massive crunch. If you like to play with a little feedback, crank up the gain and max out the master and tube amp knobs, and lean into the speaker. I played this way with an aria pro II les paul copy with 2 EMG 81s into the cream machine and that into an old Gibson Atlas 50w head (similar to Fender Bassman) at about 1/4 volume pushing a beat up Ampeg 1x18 reflex cabinet. This setup just sang. With the pickups set to humbuckers, both neck and bridge had a delicious, full crunch for chords, which would hit with a grinding, bassy attack and then swell into a well balanced purr in the upper-mids. Single notes had a sort of hot, visceral feel at first and then melted smoothly into a tasty harmonic wail. When set to single coils, I found the tone was still a little harsh, but nothing the tone knob on the guitar couldn't tame. Each note had an nice edgy quality to it, while remaining clear and full in character. All in all, I like this thing alot. You know that feeling when it's up loud and sounds really sweet and your senses get sort of blurred and confused? You can get that out of this box if you use the 12au7's I wish it had a tone knob on it somewhere to trim the highs a bit, but it's a minor issue. Combined with a tube power amp and a good cabinet, the machine would be very creamy indeed.

Got it used, haven't had it long. Second instrument jack on the rear seems to have a problem, but overall it seems very well built. I would trust it for a gig.

Never tried to contact the company. I do my own repairs, so I probably won't ever contact the company if I do have a problem.

I play anything and everything. The cream machine could definitely serve multiple purposes. Jazz to metal and all in between. I've been playing about 9 years. If I lost it, I might get another if I could find it on the cheap (<$45). If you find one at a good price, grab it, invest in some tubes, and see what it can do.

Well,really easy to use.Two knobs in front and one at the back.
A kind of stombox usage,but it isn't !

The wonder happens,when it gets connected.There are so many options
how to use the Cream machine.
Also as Stand alonne amp with 1 Watt.But this one Watt will make your
neighbour scream.

Easy to use.

Well it is a distroted Tube Amp in pocket version.
Of course it gets noisy the more gain we use.That's a matter of fact
in Tubes.No noise gate.
This device goes hard to work ! And its difficult to find a weaker
distortion sound.Raise both up,Input and Output knob.Then there is no
need for a compressor.

For that,what the Cream Machine was designed for,it does an excellent
job.But it is not an all in one machine.
For smoother minds,HK brought out the Crunch Master,with EQ and lower
tube distortion.Both together got a niftly little amp plus the
1 Rack Unit power amp.

Remember these devices came out before Virtual ! So they are still
good.

The Cream Machine does 10% what it was developed for ! Brutal
tube distortion is a small box.

A good solution for specialists.

Tubes get weak by time.Hiwatt once recommended to exchange Tubes
every year.
But it doesn't matter if you keep them for longer.

Tube is Tube

Never needed,but H&K is busy for you.

The Cream machine does it job perfectly.
It is not an alternative for a big Tube Setup,but it is much more
flexible.Sound is OK.
For recording a fine tool of the pre Virtual time.And it is totally
analog.
A good and usefull tool after all this time.

To bring more life to the Roland GP8 I use the Cream Machine.
And how it creams.Hmmmmmmmm......